1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates generally to building walls and partitions and more particularly to a novel wall or partition assembly having magnetically secured wall panels which may be easily removed and replaced, even by office personel. The invention relates also to a novel magnetic clip for the assembly.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art:
One construction technique which is commonly used in constructing offices and other compartmented building structures involves the use of movable partitions or walls which may be relatively easily moved from one location to another and stored when not in use. A variety of movable wall systems of this kind have been devised.
Simply stated, a movable wall system, or wall assembly as it is referred to herein, comprises a floor runner to be secured to the floor, a header to be secured to the ceiling, in most but not all cases, studs extending between the runner and header, and wall panels extending between the runner and header and disposed edge to edge to form a wall surface. Some installations require wall panels on only one side of the wall assembly. Other installations require wall panels on both sides of the wall assembly.
One of the problems involved in designing a movable wall assembly involves releasably mounting the wall panels to the assembly in such a way that the panels may be easily removed and replaced. A variety of wall panel mounting means have been devised for this purpose. One mounting technique utilizes magnetic attraction to releasably hold the wall panels in place.
Examples of magnetic wall panel mountings are described in the following patents.
U.S. Pat. No 3,986,312 to Calhoun, et al.:
Describes a movable wall assembly in which the wall panels mount magnetic strips which engage within longitudinal grooves in magnetic wall studs to magnetically secure the panels to the studs.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,935 to Jones:
Describes a movable wall assembly in which wall studs have longitudinal grooves containing magnetic strips which engage magnetic strips on the wall panels to magnetically secure the panels to the studs.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,370 to Buffington:
Describes a movable wall assembly in which the wall panels mount magnetic strips which engage magnetic studs to magnetically secure the panels to the studs.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,292,328 to Lewis, et al.:
Describes a movable wall assembly having a floor runner for receiving and confining the lower edges of the wall panels and magnetic means on the header and wall panels for magnetically securing the panels to the header.